The Quality of Urban Life

Property and Pacification

"Quality of urban life has become a commodity, as has the city itself, in a world where consumerism, tourism, cultural and knowledge-based industries have become major aspects of the urban political economy."

The above statement which Harvey makes in regards to the quality of life in the city is, in my opinion, a direct related to the effects of urbanization and formerly, the Industrial Revolution. This trend in the American lifestyle is essentially the root for this conversation of 'quality of urban life'. It its simplest form, it is translated to: QUALITY LIVING WITHIN THE CITY IS PRIVILEGE. And the reason it is a privilege is because of the density we have created by flocking to urbania. How can we expect equality in terms of living, when we overlap work, play and family; in areas across the globe which are so vastly different with respect to social class, municipal regulation and control, and economic status?